It has been a long, uncanny road with this lens. I have had it since 2009. The AF-S DX NIKKOR 35mm f/1.8G was the first lens I purchased beyond the kit lens that came with my Nikon D90, my first DSLR. When I researched the D90, the Nikon 35mm 1.8 G kept popping up as a must have. It was first announced around March 2009–which is when I started studying photography. At its price point, it fit into my budget, and it was a fantastic purchase. If I could do it all over again, I would have purchased my Nikon D90, body only, and the 35mm 1.8G lens. Over the years, it has served me well. I still use this lens when producing reviews. I also use it when I just want to go on a photo walk with a lite kit.
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For years, I have been notorious for only using backpacks and for years, folks like Chris Gampat have been bugging me to think about shoulder bags. When we worked together at photography trade shows like Photo Plus Expo or had to travel around NYC, my backpacks seemed to get in the way. So always willing to learn and try new things I decided to try the Think Tank Urban Disguise 60 v2. It was a game changer for me. I tend to put a lot of thought into how I carry my gear. This bag handled everything. When I needed it to be more adaptable, it was.
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Recently, I attended a photography event, This Is Studio Light, organized by my friend Scott Wyden and hosted by Dynalite. I am a big supporter of helping others learn the craft of photography, as well as learning as much as I possibly can and that’s what we did that day. We started the day with a presentation by Scott called “Photography Studio Lighting On A Budget”(free on Udemy). We then discussed light modifiers with Dynalite’s Jim Morton. Since a lot of Dynalite’s equipment has built-in 32 channel Pocket Wizard transceivers to enable wireless shooting, we had Pocket Wizard Plus III’s and X’s to use. While shooting I got a quick hands on with a few Dynalite products for the first time.
Here is what I thought.
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We have reviewed various wrist straps. They come from great companies like HoldFast, A7 and Tap and Dye. These straps have all been well designed, wonderfully constructed with luxurious materials and have been stylish. They all have just one fault. They are bloody expensive for a photographer like me. First and foremost, I am a husband and a father. This means I have to be just a bit more frugal than most. While I would love to own any one of those elegant wrist straps, it’s not possible. I have to invest more in my camera bodies, lighting, and lenses. I also have to maintain a photography fund for emergency needs. These things make my photography more functional, but I needed a wrist strap to make my photography life more comfortable. When I found and purchased the OP/TECH USA SLR Wrist Strap I was extremely satisfied.
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It is a shoulder bag that does not scream ‘camera bag’. I have been considering a proper shoulder camera bag for some time now. My fellow team members suggested I should look at Think Tank. They were tired of my backpacks getting in the way at events. I haven’t been particularly impressed with any shoulder bags to date. The Think Tank Urban Disguise 60 V2.0, however, caught my eye. I needed something that could carry a decent amount of gear and supplies. I also needed something to take to work while disguised as my alter ego, a not too mild-mannered computer geek. The Think Tank Urban Disguise 60 V2.0 looked as if it could fit the bill. To break the bag in, I took it out on a task for our site in New York City as well as to my day job in Jersey.
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